


high school's the place where dreams go to die

by skellington



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Feminization, M/M, Slurs, american au too i guess, ashton is bullied, ashton's the only australian one, blink and you'll miss them, girly ashton, i don't exactly know where this is going, i dont know what this is, i just like feminine ashton, jock luke, liam and niall are in it for like 2 seconds, luke is a blabbering idiot, luke is literally the epitome of stereotypical school jock, mention of rape/sexual assault
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-17
Updated: 2014-07-18
Packaged: 2018-02-09 05:01:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1969950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skellington/pseuds/skellington
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>ashton is a freshman who likes girly things and luke is the captain of the varsity football team who wants to know why</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. you make a mess of me

it's the first day of luke's senior year, and he's feeling pretty damn great.

he's secured his spot as captain of the varsity football team for his school, people like him, and he's got his two best friends, michael and calum, flanking both of his sides as they stride into the school. the three have been inseparable since they were in diapers, and he's happy they've been able to maintain a friendship so strong for so long - that's not a luxury for most. the hordes of people in the hallways split as they walk by, and it's so cliche luke just has to laugh; the three of them, in their stupid varsity jackets, laughing and punching each other like the meat-heads hollywood portrays them as, people watching them swagger by in awe and envy -- they're the american dream, the classic kings of the school. he feels on top of the world.

the trio make their way to the school's common lounge, plopping down on the couch near the window that might as well be encrypted with _"property of luke hemmings, michael clifford, and calum hood"._ they're all fairly certain that since they started school at poppy high, no one but themselves have sat in those seats.

"hey luke, let me see your schedule. i wanna know if we have any classes together," calum says, nudging luke with his elbow. luke digs through his stuff and hands him the crumpled yellow sheet of paper, and waits for-

"luke robert hemmings, you failed biology _again?"_ calum damn-near screeches, and yup, there it is. luke just shrugs and nods sheepishly. they all took the class together in their sophomore year, and while calum and michael breezed right through it, luke got stuck in the damn class for the next semester. and the one after that. and- well, you get the drift. luke isn't very good with science. he voices this.

"it's one thing to be bad at science, but jesus _christ,_ lukey, at the rate you're going you're gonna end up a super senior. maybe a super _super_ senior, like our good friend niall over there," michael states exasperatedly, pointing to one of the tables where recently-turned-twenty-year-old niall horan sits, laughing with one of his friends. the kid managed to fail senior year twice, and he's still going at it. teachers are desperately hoping he'll get it right this time. luke snorts.

"i'm not going to be a super senior, mikey, let alone a _super_ super one. i'll just work harder this year, okay? i'll double up in sciences so i can get the last credit. i'll be graduating with you guys, don't you worry," luke reassures them, ignoring the slight doubt nagging at the back of his mind. he'll be _fine._

the bell for first period rings, and the boys all head to english iiii (one class luke's actually good at). it just so happens they have all their classes together - except for fourth period, in which luke has biology (what a great way to end the school day, with the class he hates the most) - which is great for them, but hell for teachers. they're the school's favorite nuisances, and the three of them together is enough to give a person of authority a heart attack. luke thinks it's going to be a great year.

 

when the bell for second lunch rings halfway through third period, luke, michael, and calum nearly jump out of their seats in calculus to get down to the lunchroom. they're really only rushing to escape a lecture from mr. payne, their uppity math teacher from england, reprimanding luke for copying everything he said in a faulty, snooty british accent, calum for throwing little balls of paper at the back of his head when he turned around, and michael for his snarky remarks. he doesn't reach them in time, and the trio are laughing about it as they make their way to the cafeteria. mikey and calum are talking, but luke tunes out when he sees a shorter, lean body walking with a slouch in the same direction. they're walking with their head down, a brown lunch bag tucked close to their chest, and they're shaking, like they're afraid of who's coming. the person has a strong, tall build - luke's starting to think they're a boy, but their clothes suggest otherwise (a soft pink knit sweater and galaxy leggings) - and they still look so small. as he passes the person, luke looks back to get a good look at their face, and- oh. it _is_ a boy. a boy with cute curls framing his face and a sheen of what looks like lip gloss on his lips and long, thick eyelashes. he's feminine, and luke is wondering why he chooses to look like that, when the boy looks over at him with piercing hazel eyes and luke's cheeks heat up and _oh._ his mind doesn't register that he's falling until he's flat on the ground. he groans and scrambles to sit up, ignoring michael's loud guffaws and calum's snickering, and looks for the boy. he's gone, and luke deflates a little.

his cheek hurts.

 

 

 

luke arrives to fourth period just seconds before the bell is supposed to ring, panting, because his calculus class is on the far end of campus and he had to run like hell and _who even designed this school_. he looks around to see the room is full of underclassmen, not another senior in sight, and well- that shouldn't really surprise him. it's a standard sophomore class, not really made for seniors. every seat is full, except for one, and just his luck- it's next to that girlyboy he made a fool out of himself in front of earlier. he feels his cheeks color as he makes his way to the seat.

he pulls out the chair sheepishly, sending the boy a shy smile, and _why is he acting like this he's luke fucking hemmings for christ's sake._ the bell goes off, shocking him. he manages to drop the chair and fall flat on his ass.

smooth.

he slides into the chair with as much dignity as he can manage. he turns to the kid, who's staring at him, smirking, and _jesus christ he's pretty -_ luke smiles tightly with red cheeks, sending a short wave. that literally could not have been any more humiliating. the boy smiles halfway, an amused look in his eyes, waves back and promptly turns to the front of the classroom, where mrs. edwards has started talking.  
she takes roll, and stops momentarily on luke.

"mr. hemmings, nice seeing you yet again," she says sarcastically, throwing him a look. it's indecipherable. two years of her class, and he still can't read mrs. edwards.

"i just couldn't stand the thought of a year without ya, pez," he says teasingly, snapping his fingers at her and winking. she chuckles reluctantly and moves down the list (she really regrets letting her nickname slip around him.)

"ashton irwin?" she calls out, and luke looks around to see the kid beside him has raised his hand.

"here," he says timidly. he's got a weird accent. it's cute. he's cute. and weird.

after mrs edwards has moved on, luke pivots and taps ashton's shoulder absentmindedly. ashton looks at him, a furrow in his brow. luke wants to kiss it. now that he's looking him full in the face, luke runs his eyes over everything, fully appreciating him. he's got great cheekbones, phenomenal jaw structure. his lips are thin and tinted an unnatural bubblegum pink, and his cheeks are dimpled. luke's gaze is moving up to ashton's eyes when ashton clears his throat and says,

"yeah, mate?" he looks confused still, and a little agitated.

luke almost chokes on his tongue. blood is rushing to his face. he's ninety-percent sure that if he spends any more time around this kid, he will permanently become tomato-faced, and that will be his legacy, instead of leading his football team to victory.

"oh, uh. yeah. um," eloquent.

ashton's eyebrows raise, and... he's still waiting for an answer.

luke clears his throat and sits up, trying to regain some of his confidence and suaveness.

"from where you are?" he tries, and. wow. if the ground could swallow him whole. "jesus christ. i mean, where are you from?" and, there we go. that's better.

"australia. thought it was a little obvious," ashton replies. he still looks a little puzzled, and luke really can't blame him. luke is a giant idiot.

"cool. i'm uh, from maine," luke says.

"again, a little obvious, innit?"

ashton has a point.

luke just chuckles quietly, pink faced again. he's about to retort, because he's gained some sort of sense of coherency, but mrs. edwards interrupts.

"mr. hemmings, if you'd actually like to pass my class this year, i'd suggest paying attention." normally, luke would say something stupid in response, but he hears ashton snicker and he's reduced to shyness again, mumbling an apology with red cheeks and opening his notebook to copy notes.

mrs. edwards's eyes nearly pop out of her head.

 

 

 

 

 


	2. they'll break you & beat you & steal away your life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> where are these chapter titles even coming from like the name of the fic is from a the downtown fiction song & ch 1 is a bruno mars song ch 2 is back to tdf what is wrong w me
> 
> also i love the word idiot a lot so it's probably going to be like every other word in this fic tbh  
> ps. sorry it took so long to update i'm really the worst at updating bear with me pls

so, luke is kind of scared of ashton.

well, maybe not scared _of_ him, but a little scared of how ashton makes him act: like a moron.

really, whenever he takes a seat next to the boy, he's reduced to a stuttering, clumsy mess. it's a little scary when you're the king of the school, the guy everyone loves, who everyone wants to be, and a boy who wears girly sweaters and lip gloss makes you act like a fool. luke's not even sure what it is about him; they haven't exchanged any words since the first day, aside from "hey, can i borrow a pen?" (which luke responded to with a gaping mouth and a shaky hand giving him his last pen without a second thought), and the boy looks anything but menacing. and yet, luke is absolutely stupid around him.

they sort of fall into a routine. luke sees him at lunch and blatantly stares at him, zooming in on his pretty features, until ashton catches him staring and gives him a glare, and luke will blush and pretend his attention was elsewhere (when it obviously wasn't.) then later in fourth period, luke will sneak glances, and ashton will pretend not to notice until it gets annoying and turn to look at him and luke will, again, blush violently and start taking notes. super.

luke kind of wants to make progress with this boy. he's just so _interesting_ and _unique_ and luke doesn't understand why he wears nail polish and girl clothes or why he reduces luke to _doing schoolwork.  
_ but luke can't really form words around ashton, so it's kind of a lost cause.

he's not the only one who's noticed he's doing better in biology; mrs edwards has also taken the time to wonder what has made luke become a better student. she looks over at him during one lesson, sees him staring - almost fondly - at ashton irwin, whom meets his eyes and one look from him sends luke into student mode.

interesting.

 

"so, class. i've decided to do something a little different this year; to mix it up for our senior buddy luke over there," mrs edwards points to luke teasingly, he smiles and takes it in stride, "i'm assigning you all lab partners."

some groans and many cheers ring through the room, but luke remains silent, the color drained from his face. 

luke has spent a few years with mrs edwards, and he knows for a fact she never changes her curriculum or lesson plans. ever. last year, he had asked about partners, and she'd simply said, "never. don't ask again."

 he's fairly certain she's up to something, and can't shake the feeling that it will end in him humiliating himself.

he doesn't even notice she's started to call out names until he hears,

"hemmings, irwin."

and yup, this is going to end in extreme humiliation and mortification. luke is going to die.

his face is most certainly the unflattering color of a tomato, and he looks over to see ashton is watching him with a blank look on his face, and luke blurts, without a thought,

"howdy, partner."

luke winces. he can't believe he just said that. not only did he say one of the most cringe-worthy things he could've said, but he said it in the  _worst faux-southern accent._ ashton most likely thinks he's a freak, or just plain weird, and wow, can someone shoot him in the face, maybe? stab him in the jugular, to prevent him from saying anything else so profoundly idiotic?

he's interrupted from wishing he was dead when he hears a twinkling giggle, one of the most beautiful things he's ever heard, probably, and sees ashton full-on smiling, wider than luke's ever seen. he's got cute little craters in his cheeks and a grin to die for. luke temporarily forgets how to breathe.

luke's lips twitch into a smile, because ashton is still laughing - _because of something luke said! -_ and it may be at his expense, because again, luke is an idiot, but it's a sound he revels in. he hesitantly starts laughing too, until the both of them are cackling a little madly, because, really - it wasn't _that_ funny. they calm down and ashton is wiping a tear from the corner of his eye and still beaming.

"that was so stupid," he says, breathlessly, with his cute little accent and a maddeningly adorable giggle at the end.

luke is smiling like a dope. ashton just called him stupid, but he said it a little fondly and luke's heart jumps in his chest.

"y-yeah," he says, and again, curses himself a little. smooth, hemmings.

"you're quite the articulate one, aren't you?" ashton teases, and this is the most he's ever talked to luke and luke is a little unprepared.

how do you have a conversation with a cute boy who makes you an absolute idiot without sounding like... well, an absolute idiot?

and honestly, luke isn't all that sure of what articulate means.

so he goes with, "oh, absolutely. super articulate. the most articulate person in this room," he scoffs, jokingly.

ashton laughs again, and it's a sound luke literally wants to wrap himself in. he wants to make a cocoon of ashton's giggles.

wow, thoughts like that need to stop. really luke, that's weird.

"you don't know what articulate means, do you?"

luke flushes. "um, no. not really?" it comes out like a question, and he scratches the back of his neck awkwardly. he looks up at ashton from beneath his eyelashes, and sees him smiling. it's not mocking, or condescending, but a little fond.

"it means to have the ability to speak fluently, without like pausing, or stuttering. i was making a joke," he says, and he doesn't talk to luke like he's five - luke's heart flutters in his chest. he explains it to luke like he really wants him to understand, to learn something he didn't know before.

luke gives a small smile. he's still a little embarrassed, because this kid is a _freshman_ who's in a sophomore class and knows what words like articulate mean, and luke is a _senior_ who's taken a sophomore class more than enough times and has quite the limited vocabulary. this boy shines brighter than luke ever will.

luke is about the thank him, for being kind and not making him feel like an ultra idiot, when the bell rings. ashton moves faster than lightning to move to his next class, and luke is left to pack up by himself. he pouts a little, but notices something sitting on ashton's desk, something he must've left behind in his rush to leave. it's a small bag, looks a little like a pencil case, but luke it's got the words  _cover girl_ on the side and it's a platinum pink, so he decides it can't be. curious, he opens the bag, and sees cosmetics - like, stuff a girl would carry. there's a thick tube of mascara and a sparkly cylinder of lip shimmer and eyebrow pencils, and it should freak luke out a little, that a boy is carrying stuff like this, but it doesn't. he knows ashton's feminine, that he likes things like this, and all he really worries about is returning the bag to him. so he runs out into the hallway, the contents of the bag clanking together and making obnoxious sounds that bounce off the lockers and ring in his ears. he follows the direction he sees ashton walk in everyday, and hopes to catch up to him before the bell.

he sees ashton's silhouette, and is about to call out to him, but a few other people stalk towards his figure. the one in front pushes him into the lockers, and holds him up by the collar of his pale pink v-neck, his white cardigan falling off his shoulders. luke wants to run out there, yell at the other person to stop, because he's hurting ashton. but he doesn't, because what kind of football player breaks up a fight? even if it is a little one-sided. he opts to watch, even when he feels his body go rigid and something that feels akin to white hot rage thrumming in his veins.

"hey, princess," the boy drawls, and luke clenches his fists. ashton squirms in the guy's grip.

"let- let go of me," he demands, and luke can tell he's trying to be strong, stand his ground, but his voice is quiet and shaky.

"what, you worried about me wrinkling your lady blouse?" the bully laughs, his little posse joining in. luke wants to punch them.

"yes, actually," ashton replies, and his tone makes luke flinch; it's venomous, so unlike the sweet ashton that was talking to him earlier.

the guy and his posse laugh, and his grip on ashton's collar tightens. he pushes ashton further into the locker, the lock digging into his back. he whimpers in pain.

"aw, don't cry, fairy boy, your mascara will run," the boy says, and wants to tackle him and punch him till he can't see straight, and then scoop ashton into his arms and play with his hair and paint his nails. he doesn't.

then, ashton does something that luke really doesn't expect, and apparently the other boys don't expect it either. ashton spits right in the boy's eye.

the boy growls and tosses ashton from the lockers to the ground, and lands a punch to his cheekbone and a kick to his gut.

"fag," he spits, and him and his boys leave, abandoning a crying ashton on the floor.

luke runs over when he decides it won't be obvious that he watched the whole debacle.

"hey, asht- oh my god, what happened?" luke feels sick, the guilt lying heavy in his stomach, and he's mad at himself. mad that he just sat idly, watched as this beautiful boy got torn down.

"n-nothing, really," ashton mumbles. his breathing is heavy, and he's trying not to cry, but tears spill over anyway.

luke's surprised. why would he lie? why would he lie about something like this, lie about people hurting him?

"it's obviously something," luke says, almost angrily. ashton flinches at his tone of voice, hoping luke doesn't notice. ( _HE_ didn't like it when ashton flinched)

but luke does, and his voice and face soften immediately.

"no, ash, it's. it's okay. just, tell me what happened, so i can fix it." and luke really does want to fix it, wants to find those boys and make them see stars for hurting ashton, maybe redeem himself for standing by.

"it's just nothing luke, it's fine. it happens all the time," he whispers the last part. luke wants to cry. he swallows around the lump in his throat.

"um. okay. uh. i found this on your desk, earlier. i came looking for you, to give it back," luke stammers, holding out the cosmetics bag he almost forgot he was holding.

ashton gapes at him. he takes it from him with a shaky hand, taking extra caution so their fingers don't brush. luke pretends not to be offended.

"you- you didn't look in it, did you?" he questions nervously. it's kind of a silly question, because the _cover girl_ logo on the side kind of gives it away, but.

luke reaches and scratches the back of his neck, his cheeks tinted pink (as he reaches up, the hem of his shirt rises, revealing a sliver of skin and ashton tries not to drool).

"i- i did, but. i'm not like, weirded out or anything."

ashton looks like he's going to cry. he whimpers a little.

luke falls down on the floor beside him, and moves to put an arm around him, but retracts it quickly. he opts for putting a hand over ashton's instead, and lifts his chin up to look him in the eyes. his mascara did run a little bit, and luke tries to wipe it away.

"really, ashton. it's fine."

"no, you think i'm weird, like all the other boys do."

luke shakes his head vehemently.

"no, no, no. if you like it, then do it. be you." he pauses. "it looks really good on you, anyway."

ashton can't help the way his eyes light up and the grin stretches across his face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
